The Winds of Eternity
by wildcat7898
Summary: Spock and Uhura experience odd side effects after a failed mission to aide two elderly survivors of a crashed and stranded spacecraft.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Winds of Eternity

Author: Wildcat

Series: TOS

Codes: S & Uhura

Summary: Spock and Uhura experience odd side effects after a failed mission to aide two elderly survivors of a crashed and stranded spacecraft.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and company. I have just borrowed them for a while, and I will not profit from any of this.

A discussion with other TOS writers about the existence of 'real' canon, fan canon, and personal canon prompted me to think about the elements in TOS that seem so real to me yet have very little basis in anything that happened outside of my head. This story was written to illustrate an element in my personal canon, that is, the long and very close friendship between Spock and Uhura.

Note that this story is not set in the same universe as the other stories in my S/U series. It was written prior to those and long before the reboot of the TOS universe that turned my personal canon into reality.

Feedback is desired.

The Winds of Eternity, Chapter 1

The old man sat by his dying wife's bedside. He looked at her calm, pale face, still beautiful despite the deep wrinkles that furrowed her cheeks and brow, and he thought of the wonderful years they had been given. The children they so desired had never come, but they were happy simply to have had one another, and their childlessness was merely a disappointment, nothing more. Truly, they had been blessed in so many other ways.

She stirred, grimacing slightly with the effort it took to open her eyes and look at him. He reached for her hand.

"Hello, my wife. Be still, and I will bring you a sip of water."

She tightened her fingers on his hand before he could leave. Although he could have pulled away easily, he was nevertheless surprised at the amount of strength in her grip.

"I am not thirsty," she said. "Sit with me, and tell me again about the first time you saw me, and how lovely you thought I was."

The old man smiled. "I do not need to tell you again how I was nearly struck blind by your dazzling radiance. Just as I am now."

She returned the smile briefly. "You old flirt." The effort it took to banter with him was too great, however, and she could not maintain the lighthearted tone. She swallowed, and with worry in her voice, she said, "My husband, I do not want to face eternity without you. It frightens me."

He felt the sudden sting of tears in his eyes, but he blinked them away and smiled reassuringly. "Do not concern yourself, my wife. One way or another, we will be together forever. It will happen. Have I ever let you down?"

She was clearly not fooled by his brave front. "No, you have never let me down. We have been through much together, making a good life here after our accident. You have always made things right. This time, though, I am afraid that our fate is beyond your control. Do not lie to me. I am old and weak, but I know the truth."

He tightened his hand on hers. "We must have faith, my wife. It has always seen us through."

She held his eyes a moment longer, then sighed and drifted back off to sleep.

He brushed a tear from his cheek and sent a silent plea to the heavens. _Creator__of__all__that__is__Holy,__help__us.__We__have__been__here__for__so__many__years__and__no__one__has__ever__heard__our__signal,__but__please__let__someone__hear__it__now,__before__it__is__too__late._

He smoothed the hair from her forehead, placed her hand gently on her breast, and rose to check the old transmitter one more time.

...

As the Enterprise cruised smoothly among the stars, Uhura stretched and propped her chin on her hand, and from her seat at the back of the bridge swiveled her head and casually surveyed the crew. Everyone looked tired. She knew that she did, too.

The ship had to stop off briefly to deliver medical supplies to a remote Andorian outpost, and then they would be en route to Starbase 11 and a welcome shore leave on the lush tourist planet it orbited. They couldn't arrive a moment too soon, as far as she was concerned. Having just finished a grueling assignment that found them in the middle of a civil war on an Elarian colony planet, they had more than earned a break from their duties.

With a wry grin, she chastised herself. _Look__at__us.__Twenty__years__ago,__we__would__have__whipped__those__colonists__into__shape,__taken__on__a__few__shiploads__of__Klingons,__dealt__with__an__alien__entity__or__two,__and__been__asking__for__more.__Oh__well,__I__guess__we're__not__getting__any__younger._

She glanced over at Spock, and she thought that even he looked like he could use a good rest. Everyone always assumed that the Vulcan was indestructible, coming back from the dead a few years ago no less, but she knew that their last mission had been harder on Spock than anyone.

The Elarians were telepathic and had refused to work closely with anyone who was not also a telepath. While there were other beings on board the ship that were able to assist, and she, herself, had been right in the middle of the negotiations, Spock had been left bearing the brunt of the Elarians' forceful psychic assaults. She had watched her friend's mental defenses stretch thinner and thinner, and he had been left visibly worn and fatigued.

As if he could read her mind, Kirk left his seat at the middle of the bridge and strolled over to his first officer. When he struck up a conversation, she couldn't help but overhear.

"Do you have any plans for shore leave?" he asked. "Chekov and Sulu invited us to join them for a few days of hiking in the woods, but I thought you might want to do something a little less strenuous. I understand that there's a beach there, as well as a few museums."

Spock raised an eyebrow and regarded Kirk skeptically. "It was my understanding that Dr. Marcus would be joining you."

"She always enjoys doing things with you. Hell, sometimes I think she likes you better than she does me. What do you say..."

Uhura didn't hear the remainder of the exchange, her attention suddenly caught by a flashing light on her board. She ran a quick scan and found the reason.

Pitching her voice for Kirk to hear, she said, "Captain, I'm picking up an automated distress signal. A repeating beacon requesting assistance."

Kirk strode over to her as Spock turned back to his console.

"Can you trace it?"

Uhura nodded, "It originates from the fourth planet in the star system directly ahead."

"Confirmed, Captain," said Spock. "Scans show no sign of civilization, but I do read two humanoid life signs."

"Commander, attempt to contact them. Inform them that help is on the way and that we should arrive in..." Kirk looked at his first officer.

"Eighteen point three minutes."

Kirk continued, "Approximately twenty minutes. Attempt to ascertain whether they need medical assistance."

"Yes, sir." She turned back to her board.

...

Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Uhura materialized in a small clearing near the two life signs. She had been unable to contact anyone, so their appearance was unannounced.

Tricorder in hand, Spock pointed to a ramshackle structure sitting back slightly in the woods. Upon closer inspection, they saw that it had originally been a small spacecraft, but additions had been built onto it so that it hardly resembled anything that had ever been spaceworthy.

Approaching it slowly, Kirk called out, "Hello! I am Captain Kirk of the Federation starship Enterprise. Are you in need of assistance?"

They waited for a response. Just as it seemed that no one was going to answer, a small, elderly man stuck his head out of the entrance to the structure. His face lit up with incredulous joy.

"Praise the Creator! My prayers were answered! We have been stranded here for so many years, but our Protector has seen fit to send help in our time of need. Please come with me before it is too late."

McCoy glanced at Kirk, and then followed the old man into the wrecked ship. The rest of the landing party trailed behind, and they all crowded into the small area. When their eyes adjusted to the dim light, they saw a shrunken old woman lying in a makeshift bed, covered by a thin blanket. She looked up when she saw them.

"Oh, my husband, you were right." Tears gathered in her pale eyes. "They will help us."

McCoy had his scanner out. Running it over the frail body in the bed, he shook his head. "There's nothing I can do."

The old woman became agitated. "Come near, I can't see you. I can't reach you."

Uhura sat next to the bed and took the old woman's hand. "We're here. You're not alone."

The elderly man came to stand next to her bed. "It won't be long, now, my wife. We will be together in eternity, remember that." His thin legs trembled, and he could hardly stand. Spock stepped forward and held his elbow to support him.

With a beatific smile on her face, the old woman looked at her husband for a long moment, and then closed her eyes and took a last shuddering breath. Uhura felt a strange dizziness wash over her, but before it even had time to register, the old man turned to Spock, clutched the Vulcan's strong shoulders, and collapsed against him. Spock had to brace himself under the sudden dead weight, but he managed to gently ease the old man to the floor.

Kneeling by the elderly man's side, McCoy looked up at Kirk. "They're both dead, Jim."

Kirk frowned. "How could this have happened so quickly, Bones?"

"They were very old. I don't know how they hung on as long as they did."

Kirk pulled out his communicator. "Mr. Sulu, we found our two humanoids, but they both died almost immediately after we arrived. Send down an additional team. We have to find out who these people were and what they were doing here. There must be someone who would want to know about their deaths."

After receiving acknowledgment of his orders, Kirk flipped his communicator shut.

"Damn," he said. "This is the type of mystery I can do without."

...

Five hours later, Spock watched Kirk glumly give the order to leave orbit. The research team had been unable to learn anything about the origin of the old couple or their ship. It was obvious that the man and his wife had crashed on the planet many years ago, but where they had lived before, no one could tell. The captain had presided over a simple ceremony that interred them in the shady glen next to their makeshift home, and the landing parties had returned to the ship.

Spock crossed the bridge to stand at the captain's right as they watched the planet recede from their view. Uhura had left her station, as well, and stood to Kirk's left, her hand resting on the back of his chair.

Kirk sighed. "What a shame. There's no one in the universe who will mourn their passing."

Uhura glanced up and met Spock's eyes, and he frowned slightly, surprised to detect sorrow in her expression. She didn't look away from him as she responded to Kirk's comment.

"Oh, I don't agree, Captain. I grieve for them. It's incredible that after so many years together, the husband died at almost the same instant as his wife. He simply couldn't go on. I get choked up even now thinking of it. It's almost as if I feel that I knew them. Illogical, I know."

Spock held her eyes. "It is not illogical to regret the ending of a devoted union. Indeed, I find myself most unsettled by the event, as well."

She gave him a grateful little smile, and he found himself strangely pleased that he was able to reassure her with such a simple admission. He nodded, and they both turned back to the viewscreen in time to see the small planet vanish entirely.

End chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

The Winds of Eternity, Chapter 2

Twenty-one hundred hours, ship's time. Uhura tied the sash around the colorful dress she'd been saving for a special occasion, and tugged on the daring neckline until she was satisfied that the loose, gauzy fabric hung evenly.

As she dug around for her favorite gold earrings, she wondered why she had picked tonight of all nights to wear this dress. True, it was Sulu's birthday, and they were throwing him a small party in the officer's lounge, but that didn't strike her as a big enough event to justify finally wearing this dress. She looked at herself in the mirror and gave herself a devilish smile.

_Then__again,__maybe__this__is__just__what__the__doctor__ordered_.

She resolved to put the depressing events of the afternoon behind her and enjoy herself the evening. Spritzing a subtle mist of perfume on her wrists and neck, she rose to leave. Then, as an afterthought, she picked up the small bottle.

_What the hell, Nyota. Be a little naughty tonight._

She sprayed a tiny bit into her cleavage, then laughed at herself and left her quarters.

...

Spock sat between McCoy and Scott and regarded the glass of golden liquid in his hand. Kirk, Uhura, and Chekov were all squeezed onto the comfortable sofa across from him, and Sulu was in the process of dragging his chair closer to the low table in the middle. He held a large bottle, and Spock noted that he could not quite determine how to retain possession of the bottle and adjust his chair at the same time.

Somehow he managed, and soon he was close enough to fill the empty glass that Kirk had thrust in his face.

"Fill me up, Sulu! I'll show Spock how a man does this."

Everyone cheered as Kirk lifted the small glass to his lips and tossed down the contents with one smooth motion. He held the now-empty glass upside-down over his head and smiled. His face was flushed, and his eyes glittered. This was not his first drink.

They all turned to Spock and watched him expectantly.

Spock raised the small glass to his lips and took a tiny sip. His eyes watered and he coughed slightly. Kirk's smile grew even broader as they all groaned.

"Spock, you'll never get it down like that. You have to just drink it all in one big gulp."

Spock wondered how he could get out of this gracefully. He also wondered what had possessed him to accept the small glass in the first place.

He looked back at the glass. With a deep breath, he brought it to his lips once again, and he took a swallow. He could not bring himself to drink it all at once, but maybe a series of smaller portions would suffice.

Before he could continue, McCoy blurted out, "Hey, Sulu, is this the kind of tequila with the little worm in it?"

Spock set the glass down hard on the table, sloshing the contents over the edge, and he grabbed a napkin and started to his feet in fear that he might be ill. When he became aware of McCoy's laughter, though, he settled back into his chair.

"Sorry, Spock, I couldn't resist! They don't put worms in tequila anymore, at least not the kind you buy at a Tellarite outpost."

Spock turned to McCoy. Pushing the glass back to the center of the table, he could not think of a suitable retort, so he simply permitted himself a scowl. McCoy tried to innocently smile back, but he couldn't help himself and giggled drunkenly.

Sulu brandished the bottle and shouted, "There's enough for two more! Who wants them? Going... going..."

Uhura held up her glass. "C'mon, birthday boy, join me!"

Sulu happily emptied the bottle, and the two clinked their glasses and drained them. Spock watched Uhura as she slammed her glass on the table, beating Sulu by a second. He was slightly concerned about her. She had been atypically morose earlier in the day and was unnaturally lively and animated now. She was also obviously quite drunk.

The group soon graduated to telling stories about one another. Spock had to admit that he found the evening enjoyable, but when near midnight Uhura decided that she was ready to leave, he excused himself as well. He was not certain that she could locate her quarters by herself, and it was only logical that he provide assistance. He caught Kirk's eye just before he left and could see that his friend agreed.

...

Uhura stirred in her sleep early the next morning and drowsily opened her eyes. She was stretched out comfortably on her stomach, her right hand under her pillow and her left tucked up under her chin, and she felt well rested. Her first conscious thought was to try to reconstruct the evening before. She couldn't really remember leaving the party, but she knew she hadn't had that much to drink. So why was everything so foggy? As soon as she became more aware of her surroundings, though, she froze with horror.

She was naked, and someone's leg rested on the back of her thigh. There was an arm across her shoulders. Her dress and a man's uniform were draped carelessly over the chair on the other side of her room. She squinted, but she couldn't make out the insignia on the maroon jacket.

Her eyes big and her heart pounding, she slowly turned her head, and she could only blink stupidly when she realized who was in the bed with her.

It was Spock.

He was sound asleep, his lashes resting on his cheek and his hair mussed. He lay on his stomach, his face only a few inches from her own, and she could feel his breath brush her shoulder as his back moved slightly up, down, up, down.

She searched her memory. How could this have happened? She was at the party, she had a couple of shots of tequila, they all laughed and teased one another, and she got up to leave. That was it. Had she gotten drunk? Maybe she'd had more to drink than she thought. With a hint of irritation, she wondered if Spock had taken advantage of her inebriated state.

Sighing, she realized that of course he would not take advantage of her in any shape, form, or fashion. This was Spock, for heaven's sake, one of her dearest friends in the whole universe, and he would never, never do anything to hurt her. She trusted him with her life and always had.

Maybe… he had gotten drunk last night, and she had been the one to take advantage of him. Despite her horror at the thought, she couldn't help but smile a little bit. She might be embarrassed, but that would be nothing compared to his reaction. Well, nothing to do now but wake him up and find out what was going on.

She pulled her right arm out and shifted until she was no longer under him. Spock stirred when she moved, but he did not wake. She couldn't resist taking a peek at his naked body. A corner of the sheet was draped carelessly across his hips, but his long legs were uncovered and not much was hidden from her view. Feeling a sudden tenderness toward him, she tugged carefully on the sheet until he was better covered. No reason to make this worse for him than it already was.

She gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him.

"Spock, wake up." She shook a little harder.

His eyes fluttered open, and he stiffened. She felt slightly relieved when she recognized that he was just as mortified as she was, and he had obviously not expected to wake up in her bed.

He cleared his throat. Eyes wide and his head never leaving the pillow, he looked quickly around the area, and then looked back at her.

"Ah, good morning, Commander. What... am I doing here?"

She was surprised at how calm her voice sounded. "I don't know, Spock. I was hoping that you would tell me."

He swallowed. "I have no idea." As if he only then realized that neither of them was clothed, he continued. "Did we...?"

She nodded, very aware of the evidence of last night's activities dried on her thighs and still slightly damp on the sheet beneath her. With a sinking feeling, reality hit her.

_I had sex with Spock last night._

Not that she hadn't always found him attractive, but, heavens, Spock? Of all people. They had been friends for so long that he was almost like a brother to her. She watched numbly as he rolled over on his back and looked at the ceiling. She rolled onto her back, too. They were quiet for a long moment.

Finally, she couldn't stand the silence. "Spock, I really don't know what happened last night. Well, I know what happened, but I don't know why or how. Maybe if you don't remember either, we should just put this behind us." She tried to make a joke out of it. "And you thought that swallowing a worm was the worst consequence of shooting tequila."

He turned his head and favored her with a raised eyebrow. "Nyota, I would hardly compare waking next to you with consuming a dead worm."

She laughed despite herself. They would be all right.

"Turn away, and I'll get your uniform. I guess the sooner we get out of bed and get dressed, the sooner we can forget about this."

He obliged, and she scurried over to the chair. Pulling her dress over her head, she tossed his uniform on the bed and retired to the bathroom. When she came out, he was gone.

...

Spock was on the bridge within thirty minutes. It wasn't quite time for his shift to begin, but he did not know what else to do with himself. How could he have allowed events to proceed as they had last night? Could he really have been drunk? He did not think so, but that was the only explanation. Uhura had certainly been quite intoxicated, and perhaps he had been, as well. Actually, everyone in their group had over-indulged, downing two bottles of the 'to-kill-ya,' as Jim had whimsically named it.

With a start, he thought about the captain and wondered guiltily if Jim would know what happened between him and Commander Uhura. He had certainly seen the captain leave a number of gatherings with this woman or that, and he had never entertained any doubt as to his friend's intentions on those evenings.

After a moment's reflection, though, he relaxed. It would never occur to Jim that he had done something similar last night.

Spock looked up when he heard the familiar whoosh of the lift doors. Uhura stepped onto the bridge, faltered for a moment when she saw him, and then lifted her chin and stepped confidently to her station. Of course, he was not blind to the fact that she was an extremely desirable woman, but he had always known that her greatest beauty came from within. Turning back to his console, he sincerely hoped that last night's mistake would not spoil his friendship with her.

...

That night, Kirk came to Spock's quarters and challenged his friend to a game of chess. They passed the evening pleasantly until Kirk excused himself, saying that he had to catch up on the sleep he had missed the night before.

Spock attempted to meditate, but once again he was unsuccessful. His inner calm had been elusive since the Elarian mission, but rather than struggle with it, he completed a series of relaxation exercises, stretched out on his bed, and soon was asleep.

Less than two hours later, however, he rose and exited his quarters.

...

The old man took his wife in his arms. "My love, it has been so many years since my body could satisfy yours. Please let me hold you close and love you once again."

The old woman clutched her beloved's head to her breasts as he kissed them tenderly. Her heart soared when she realized that her breasts were firm and taut again, ripe and full. His lips trailed from one erect nipple to the next and then moved lower, to nibble at her belly, and she gasped.

She could feel his hands, now, caressing her softly between her legs, his breath warm on her thighs, and she was overjoyed to feel an answering moistness from her own body, which had betrayed her so long ago by becoming dry and unwelcoming.

She shuddered and moved beside him so that she could reach him with her own warm kisses, glorying in the hardness of the muscles rippling beneath his skin. She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders with delight, having forgotten just how solid he had once been.

She shifted yet again, and he groaned as she raked her teeth across his flank, her fingernails tracing a light pattern across his chest and belly, her fingers reaching lower, lower, until she could grasp his firm erection. She watched, amazed, as her hands, strong and smooth once more, pleasured him, then closed her eyes to add lips and tongue to the sensations being wrought by her fingers.

Her knees trembled now, as she felt his hair brush against her inner thighs, his mouth hot against her, and suddenly she reached around him and dug her fingers into his buttocks, turning her head to the side and pulling him tightly against her. She felt his hardness against her cheek as she cried out, pressing her face against him, inhaling the wonderful scent of him.

Urgently now, he grasped her arms and pulled her so that her head was even with his own, his eyes, dark with love and desire, gazing deep into her soul. As he moved on top of her, she spread her legs and grasped him, guiding him into her. She rejoiced when she felt the length of him glide smoothly into her, and soon she was matching his deep strokes with thrusts of her own, meeting him, taking him, her legs supple and strong and securely wrapped around him.

His breath came harder and harder, his pumping more furious, and she held him tight until he called out her name, his rhythm finally faltering as he emptied his seed into her. The knowledge that she could bring him this ecstasy, combined with the sound of his voice calling out her name with such abandonment, the feel of his spasms deep within her, and the simple taste and smell of him, were enough to send her over the edge yet again, and she threw her head back, lost in the wild, joyous sensations that swept through her body.

Gradually, their heartbeats slowed and she came back to herself. Her eyes brimmed with tears when she thought of the pleasure she had given him, and she tasted the salty liquid of his own tears when he turned his face to hers and kissed her. It had been long, so long, since their bodies would obey their desires like this.

"My husband," she whispered.

"My wife," he answered.

They slept, secure in one another's arms.

...

Spock woke and knew immediately that he was not in his own quarters. A warm head was heavy on his chest, his arm was around a smooth back, and he could feel the soft curves of a woman's body pressed firmly against his own body. Swallowing, he knew what he would find, but he craned his neck anyway so that he could see the tousled head below his chin and confirm that it was, indeed, Uhura.

Her leg was draped over his leg with her inner thigh nestled intimately against his genitals, and he closed his eyes for a moment to summon the control that would prevent his body from responding despite itself. Finally, he tried to ease out from underneath her.

She stirred and woke before he was successful. He felt her entire body tense when she understood what had happened and where she was.

Abruptly, she pushed herself up on her hands in confusion, unaware that her breasts were exposed and uncomfortably close to his face. He concentrated on looking at her eyes. She recovered quickly and lay down next to him, pulling the covers up to her armpits, on her back with their shoulders barely touching.

She covered her face with both hands and groaned. "Oh, Lord, not again."

He sighed. "Yes, it appears to have happened again. I assume that just as before, you have no memory of the events leading up to this."

Her face still hidden, she shook her head, then dropped her hands and turned her head on the pillow so that they were almost nose to nose. "I don't suppose you walk in your sleep, do you?"

"I do not." He paused. "I believe that it is time to pay a visit to Dr. McCoy."

She grimaced, and he knew that his own expression surely mirrored hers.

When they rose to dress, he realized that he had of course come to her bedroom wearing his nightclothes. They could both hear signs of activity in the hall outside of her door, so she volunteered to slip into his quarters and retrieve a uniform for him.

They called their backups to the bridge, then exited her quarters and made their way to sick bay.

End chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

The Winds of Eternity, Chapter 3

Spock and Uhura chatted about inconsequential matters as they walked to sickbay. She knew that he probably wondered how she could talk about the use of a layered tertiary algorithm in a decryption key or the upcoming Mozart Festival on Starbase 11 at a time like this, but he was a good sport and participated in the conversation with enthusiasm. She found it difficult to look at him, though, and as they approached sickbay and their steps slowed to a stop, she finally forced herself to meet his eyes.

She experienced a rush of gratitude when she caught the solicitous expression on his face. He was concerned for her and trying to make this easier. She reached out and placed her hand on his arm. It occurred to her that it had been many years since she was shy about touching him casually. Captain Kirk was the only other person she knew who was permitted such familiarity. She never gave it a moment's thought anymore, and the corner of her mouth turned up when she realized that she had evidently touched him more than casually last night. Ironic that she would think of this now.

She looked at him closely, trying to determine his mood. "Are you ready?"

He took a deep breath, lifted his chin, and replied, "Truthfully? No. However, that does not change the fact that we must do this."

She smiled at him and gave his arm a little squeeze. "Maybe it won't be so bad." He raised both eyebrows and regarded her skeptically, and she laughed. "Yes, it'll probably be awful. C'mon."

They stepped through the door to sickbay.

...

Dr. McCoy sat in his office and cursed at the display in front of him. He was way behind on his paperwork but hadn't realized exactly how much until this moment. He was so engrossed in his misery that he didn't see that he had company until they were standing directly in front of his desk.

Startled, he looked up. "Spock, Uhura, this is a surprise. Have a seat. What can I do for you?"

As they seated themselves, he couldn't help but notice that they both looked uneasy. What was going on here? Outwardly patient but inwardly dying of curiosity, he folded his hands on his desktop and waited.

Spock and Uhura exchanged a nervous glance. Finally, Spock took the initiative and spoke.

"Doctor, the Commander and I have suffered two unusual memory lapses recently. We seem to have acted in a similar manner, but have been unable to recall how we placed ourselves in such a... position."

Uhura winced at his choice of the last word. He evidently caught her movement from the corner of his eye, because he turned toward her and tilted his head apologetically. "Perhaps you would be more adept at explaining our predicament."

She grinned ruefully. "Probably so." Taking a deep breath, she faced McCoy again. He was more intrigued than ever. Whatever this was, it was certain to be interesting. He forced himself to remain expressionless.

"Doctor, two nights ago, do you remember that we left Sulu's party together?" She watched him as he nodded. "Well, we don't know how it happened, but we... woke up together the next morning."

McCoy blinked and struggled to maintain a professional, detached demeanor. Surely he had misunderstood.

"Huh?" _Yeah,__real__professional,__Leonard._

Uhura sighed. "We woke up in bed together the next morning. My bed. No clothes. Do you get it?"

Spock shifted uncomfortably.

McCoy looked at him, then back at Uhura. "Uh, did you...? I mean, well, you say you don't remember anything. Maybe nothing, er, happened..." She looked at him as if he were a small child. "Okay, so something happened," he added hastily. "Neither of you remembers it, though, correct?"

They both nodded, solemnly and in unison.

"Uhura, you were pretty drunk when you left Sulu's party, and I saw you drink a little, too, Spock. Do you think that's it?" Before they could answer, he remembered what Spock had told him. "Wait – you said that you'd had two memory lapses..." He looked at them in dawning realization. "It happened again last night, didn't it?"

Spock found his voice again. "Yes, doctor. I have no memory beyond falling asleep in my own bed, yet I woke in Commander Uhura's quarters this morning in much the same state of disarray."

McCoy shook himself. This sounded pretty serious, and he needed to put shock and prurient curiosity behind him.

"Follow me. Let's run some scans and see if we can find out what's going on."

...

Uhura sat on a diagnostic bed and watched as McCoy examined Spock. He had already checked her but didn't seem to find anything. She could tell that he wasn't having any luck with Spock, either.

A few minutes ago, McCoy had tactfully suggested that it was time to include Kirk, and she and Spock had agreed. As they waited, her mind wandered, and she thought about what it had been like to have Spock's body next to her own. He gave off so much heat that she had felt like a cat sunning itself on a windowsill. He was muscular, too. This was embarrassing and awkward, but she had always kind of wondered what it would be like to sleep with him. Too bad she couldn't remember it.

Her musings were interrupted by the arrival of Captain Kirk.

He strode into sickbay radiating energy and confidence, but his step faltered when he saw Spock on one bed and Uhura on the other. He stopped beside Spock, concern evident in his features.

"What is it? Are you two sick?"

McCoy turned off his scanner. Spock glanced at the doctor, who shook his head. Spock swung his legs around so that he could sit up facing Kirk. Uhura couldn't see his face, but she could tell by the set of his shoulders that he was tense.

"Captain, Commander Uhura and I have both suffered periodic memory loss over the last two days. Specifically, we have each had two episodes, lasting from the evening to the morning."

They all waited, but evidently that was all he was willing to offer right now.

McCoy snorted in exasperation. "Spock, you can't stop there. As much as you don't want to tell him the rest, he needs to know."

Kirk glanced at Uhura, then back at Spock. "Go ahead," he prodded gently. "You can tell me."

"The Commander and I have awakened each morning together in her bed."

Kirk stared at him without saying anything, looked away and rubbed his forehead, and then sat down on the diagnostic bed next to his friend. "And neither of you know how you got there or what you did?"

His voice was low and private, and Uhura felt like an intruder. She looked at McCoy in entreaty, and he pulled out his scanner to check her again. They pretended that they were not listening, but she could not help but overhear Spock's response.

"I assure you, we have no doubt about what we did. We merely do not remember it."

"So you're telling me that the two of you, uh, were intimate?"

"Yes, but I am at a loss as to why we behaved as we did and do not understand why we would not remember it afterwards."

"Did anything happen to both of you? Something that would cause this?"

"The Commander and I were both members of the landing party two days ago. I did not detect any unusual substances there, and I assume that neither you nor the doctor has experienced any similar symptoms. In addition, Uhura and I both attended Mr. Sulu's celebration, and we both indulged in consumption of alcohol, but the rest of the group participated in a like manner, so I would not expect such an effect from that. I have already compared our meals and duties for the days preceding the first episode and have found no common denominator."

"Could you have caught some strange virus from the couple that died?"

McCoy gave up his pretense of not listening. "That's a possibility, Jim, although I haven't found anything yet. I think that we ought to confine these two to quarters until I can figure out some more tests to run."

Kirk stood. "Agreed. Uhura, you and Spock are both removed from duty until we can get to the bottom of this."

"Yes, sir."

...

Spock knelt on his meditation mat and began a series of deep breathing exercises. He had passed the day catching up on his reading and paperwork, and he had found it relaxing. Perhaps tonight he would finally be able to meditate. He had been unable to achieve anything deeper than the second level since his ordeal with the Elarians, and he had reached the point where it was an effort not to become impatient.

He closed his eyes and quickly felt himself sink into the first level. Relief washed through him; his body and mind were desperate for this, and it was as refreshing as a sip of water in the Vulcan desert. He reached inward and found the second level. Time and place were gone, and he was unaware of his physical being; he was merely a consciousness, paradoxically narrowing to his own center while expanding to fill the cosmos. Deeper, deeper, farther, wider, he went, his goal close, so close, almost there.

Suddenly, as before, he slammed into a barrier, a structure existing only as a figment in his mind but almost as tangible and disconcertingly solid as the stone wall around his mother's garden. He was wrenched back without warning, and he found himself again in his quarters, the mat hard beneath his knees and the ever-present subsonic hum of the ship's engines jarring in his ears.

His control slipped for just an instant, and he gritted his teeth in frustration and threw his head back, his hands falling limply to rest on the mat on either side of him. How could this elude him yet again? Straightening, he brought his hands back to the meditative position and ran through his favored relaxation exercise. There must be a connection between his mysterious behavior with Uhura and his inability to meditate, but he could not find it. Finally, he traded his meditation robe for his nightclothes and collapsed on his bed. Before he slept, though, he remembered a promise he had made to Commander Uhura earlier.

"Computer, lock door from within and without, and do not unlock until 0600 hours. Disregard any command to override by Captain Spock." He paused a moment, then added, "Or by Commander Uhura."

Satisfied, he slept.

...

The old man yearned for his wife. He knew that she was close, so close, but yet she was far. He could not reach her, but he could sense her thoughts calling him, beguiling him, pleading with him to come to her, please come to her. He became frantic.

_My wife, we have never been parted as we slept at night. I will reach you, I promise. Ready yourself, for I desire you as I did when I was still a young man._

Using every bit of strength he possessed, he removed the loathsome barrier that prevented him from joining his beloved. He was amazed that he could accomplish this, and he marveled over the restoration of his youth and rejoiced in the hardness of his body.

His wife rose from her bed when she saw him. She roughly pulled off her sheer gown, and then she was naked, glorious and shining for only his eyes to see. He tore away his clothes as he rushed to meet her.

They came together with the force of a summer storm that shakes the ground with thunder, unseen currents electrifying the air and the clouds heavy with the promise of rain, and he clutched her to him with the desperation of a man who craves the downpour, as a man would who must slake his thirst or die.

Neither of them able to wait a moment longer, he used his newfound strength to lift her, and she wrapped her firm legs around his waist where he stood. They both gasped as he entered her with one swift, sure motion. He closed his eyes for a moment, but soon opened them to find her gazing deeply at him. Never looking away, he began pumping, stroking her slowly at first, and then faster and harder, until they both cried out with sweet release.

Finally, his knees weak and unable to support them, they collapsed in a tangled, sweaty heap on the bed. He kissed her and murmured endearments, and he stroked her hair until she was asleep.

He did not know how much more time they would be given, but he was grateful for this unexpected gift, no matter whether it lasted forever or ended tomorrow. He knew that soon it would be time to join their ancestors in the eternal dance, but for now they would savor every moment.

He pulled her closer and enjoyed the sensation of her warm, ripe body next to his until he, too, drifted away.

...

Uhura woke to find a very warm and by now very familiar body next to her own. She was still drowsy and not ready to get up, so she didn't even bother to wake him this time. Instead, she sighed in exasperation, pulled the sheet and blanket up to cover both of them, and rolled over and went back to sleep.

End chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

The Winds of Eternity, Chapter 4

Spock lay still and watched Uhura sleep. Although he hadn't stirred earlier when she pulled the covers up, he vaguely remembered her doing so. She must have decided that she'd rather sleep than deal with their recurring problem, so he didn't disturb her. Actually, he found this rather... well, perhaps enjoyable was not the word, but he was quite comfortable and did not wish to disturb their peace.

As he waited, he flexed his fingers. Curiously, they were stiff and bruised, and he even had a small gash on his right palm. He wondered what he could have done to cause this.

The door buzzed, and they both sat up quickly. Uhura clutched the sheet under her chin and looked at him with big eyes.

"Oh shit, who could that be?"

"If you wish to rise and dress, I will turn away until you are ready."

He was surprised to see her grin at him. "Well, I suppose I can at least pretend to be modest, although I would say we're beyond that now since you've probably already seen all there is to see."

He nodded. "True."

Her mouth dropped open, and she smacked his arm. "You weren't supposed to say that!"

Before he could respond, the door buzzed again, and they heard McCoy's voice. "Uhura? You okay in there? If you're worried about answering the door right now, I can tell you that I've already been down the hall to, uh, talk to Spock."

She called out. "Just a minute."

Spock was not pleased with this development, because he knew that he could not extricate himself before McCoy entered. He sighed and turned his head away so that Uhura would have at least a small degree of privacy as she dressed. He had noticed that his own garments were strewn in a path from the door to the bed.

He felt something soft land on his lap. She had gathered up his clothing and tossed it to him.

"You can look now." She stood with her hands on her hips and shook her head. "We must have been in a hurry last night."

"So it would appear. Are you aware that your nightgown is ripped?"

She looked down, an expression of horror on her face. "Oh, thanks. Give me a minute to change, and then I guess we'll have to let Dr. McCoy in."

She grabbed a new gown and dashed into the fresher while he pulled on his pants and shirt. He was relieved to see that at least his own clothing was still intact. Soon, she had returned, and she stood beside him. They exchanged glances before she turned to the door and called, "Come."

Doctor McCoy poked his head in the door as if afraid of what he might find. "Uh, good morning. May I come in?"

Spock raised an eyebrow and heard Uhura snort in exasperation before she answered.

"Well, you can come on in, or you can stand in the doorway so that anyone who walks by can see us both standing here in our pajamas."

McCoy stepped in. "I guess I don't need to ask you what happened, but I do have a different question. Spock, did you happen to lock yourself into your quarters last night?"

Now Spock knew why his hands were so sore. He held them up and examined them. "Yes, I did. I assume that you are going to tell me I forced open the door."

"Yeah. I've never seen anything like it. It's not only open, but also bent and hanging off of the track. Damn, you must have been pretty... uh, you must have wanted in here pretty badly."

Spock could not suppress a small sigh. "I do not remember, Doctor."

McCoy nodded in sympathy. "I closed it the best I could so it wouldn't be so noticeable, and if you'll hang on a minute, I'll get you a uniform. I want you both to come with me to sickbay. We'll figure this out yet."

...

McCoy turned on his scanner and set it to run the same series of tests as yesterday. He had told them that he didn't expect to find anything new, but it was as good a place to start as any. Therefore, when he waved it over Uhura, he was surprised to find that his readings had changed since yesterday.

He frowned, recalibrated his sensors, and tried again. It was definitely showing something it had not shown before. Spock caught McCoy's change in demeanor and moved closer.

"What is it, Doctor?"

Uhura looked quickly at Spock and back to McCoy. "You found something?"

McCoy chewed on his lip. "I'm not sure. Hang on a moment." He changed some settings on the diagnostic bed and bounced up and down on his toes when his suspicions were confirmed. He nodded to himself and retrieved a different piece of equipment.

She looked helplessly at Spock. "Will someone tell me what's going on?"

Spock's expression was impassive, and she could not read him. She waited nervously while he studied the readout. Finally, he lifted an eyebrow and answered her question.

"It seems that your cerebral scan has changed since yesterday."

She craned her neck to look at the display, and he pointed at two distinct patterns.

"This area represents your original brain function. This is new. It is clearly not human, although I do not recognize it. I would expect to find a similar discrepancy in my own patterns."

Too stunned to react, she could only stare at it. Was she carrying around an alien consciousness? If so, Spock must be, too. This was confirmed moments later when the doctor ran the same series of tests on Spock.

McCoy thumbed the intercom and called Captain Kirk to sickbay.

...

The four of them sat in McCoy's office around his diagnostic computer. Spock was in the process of running increasingly intricate searches in an attempt to find a match on the mysterious brain patterns, but he was rapidly running out of options.

Finally, he ended his current program and sat back in his chair.

"Captain, I am quite certain that we will not be able to solve our mystery this way. While none of my searches were successful, that is hardly conclusive, for it is notoriously difficult to identify a species merely by their brain scans. We need additional data."

"He's right, Jim," said McCoy. "Even if we found something that looked similar, it wouldn't necessarily tell us anything. We need to learn more about where these people came from."

Kirk left his seat and began pacing. Although Spock found the majority of nervous human mannerisms bothersome, Kirk's pacing was familiar and reassuring in its constancy. Also, Spock knew that Kirk often did his best thinking when on the move.

"Can we assume that these... entities, or whatever they are, came from the two people we found stranded?"

Spock nodded. "That would be a reasonable assumption. It is unfortunate that we were unable to glean any information from their computers or their habitat."

"Bones, did you record any physical data before we buried them?"

"Well, I learned that they were humanoid and of a species I didn't recognize. Unfortunately, I didn't get much on them before they died, so I don't know how their brains worked."

Kirk seated himself again and turned to Spock. "Spock, I hate to ask this, but why haven't you noticed that you're carrying around an alien consciousness in your mind? I mean, I would expect you to be the first to recognize something like that."

Spock hesitated. He had been wondering the same thing himself.

"I must confess that I have been rather unsettled since the Elarian mission. Although I have tried repeatedly, I have been unable to meditate. Indeed, I have even had difficulty concentrating while on duty. I can only speculate, but it is now my belief that my lowered mental defenses left me susceptible to such an invasion, and my inability to center my thoughts left me unable to detect it." He met Uhura's eyes. "I regret that I did not make the connection sooner."

She smiled at him reassuringly. "Spock, you were exhausted. I don't blame you, really I don't." She paused to catch her lip between her teeth. "You know, you've said that you haven't been able to reach into your own mind, but could you reach into someone else's? Mine?"

Kirk sat up straighter. "That's a great idea, Uhura. What about it, Spock?"

Spock considered. Even under the most optimal conditions, searching another's mind without an actual sharing of thoughts was invasive at best. Add to that the fact that his mental condition was uncertain, and he would surely find this draining and unpleasant. However, Uhura was his friend, and he had always known her thinking to be calm and well ordered. Also, she was clearly suffering, and he could see no other way to ease her discomfort.

"Very well. While you and the doctor may observe, Commander Uhura and I will need to be undisturbed in a quiet, dimly lit area."

McCoy left to set up an isolation room, and Kirk clapped Spock on the shoulder before he rose to follow. Spock was left alone with Uhura. He could tell that she was apprehensive.

"Nyota, trust is essential. If you feel unable to go through with this, you must say so. I cannot promise that it will be easy. In actuality, it is most likely that the experience will be quite uncomfortable. I do promise you that I will be as gentle as possible."

He frowned slightly when he noticed that tears had gathered in her eyes. "I do not understand-"

She grasped his hands with both of her own. "Oh, Spock, I trust you as much as I trust anyone in the universe. I know that you'll do everything you can to make it easy for me. I'm just a little frightened, not so much about the meld, but about everything. It's scary, but I know that we can get through this together."

"Yes, we can. You are very strong, and I may very well need to rely on your strength. I am... unsure of my own."

She tightened her grip on his hands briefly before releasing him. They sat quietly until McCoy called out that the room was ready.

...

Uhura settled herself uneasily in one of the two chairs that had been placed in the middle of the small chamber. She felt extremely self-conscious and was very aware of Kirk and McCoy sitting quietly in a dark corner of the room.

She looked up and watched Spock as he pulled the other chair close and sat across from her. He studied her for a moment then scooted even closer, so close that his knees were outside her own. She noticed that he was very careful not to touch her, and she knew that he felt just as awkward as she did.

When he closed his eyes and brought his hands together in preparation, she was glad to see that McCoy had healed the ugly bruises that were on his fingers this morning. She shivered a little, thinking about the strength contained in those gentle, elegant hands, the same hands that had touched her body so intimately the last three nights. She had never participated in a mindmeld, and she wondered what those hands would feel like on her face, now. She looked back up to see Spock watching her.

He held her gaze. Suddenly, it seemed as if the entire universe had narrowed to just his intense, dark eyes, and she caught her breath. He brought his hands up slowly, and she felt a slight tingle, almost like a small electric shock, when the fingertips of his right hand brushed against her cheek and temple. A moment later, she felt a similar sensation on the other side of her face. She could not look away.

He murmured, "My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts."

A sudden blur of… something… different, foreign, not hers… shimmered through her mind, and there he was, familiar yet alien. How could she have forgotten just how alien he was? But it was him, a stranger who was still her dear friend, unknown yet so well recognized.

He experimentally pushed a little deeper, and she felt a shiver of panic at the force of his thoughts. She could not help but struggle against him, and he pulled back. _Trust__me._ The message flashed through her mind, as clear as if he had spoken it, and she forced herself to relax and open her mind to him.

Suddenly, the angles of the room shifted, growing sharper and subtly warped, and she found herself looking through his eyes while still looking through her own, flowing into his mind just as he flowed into hers. Somehow she knew that he had not expected this, had assumed that she would encounter the same barriers he had, but she also knew that he was pleased when she seemed to slip easily past them.

Her heart beat faster when she realized that she was one with him, truly one with him. _Her__beloved._ Surprise rippled vaguely along the edges of his/her mind at the unexpectedness of that thought, but it was quickly overwhelmed by a feeling that all was as it should be.

_Yes, my dearest, it is I._

_I had thought you gone again. Where are you?_

_I do not know. I am here, yet not here._

_Yes, you are there yet not there. Have we stopped on our journey to join our ancestors?_

_I am uncertain, but I believe that we have found an oasis along the way, a shelter from the winds of inevitability._

_Yes, oh yes, it is a welcome respite, but I am restless. I dawdle, yet I cannot stop._

_I pause, yet I cannot rest. I can hear my parents, and my parent's parents calling me. But I do not wish to give up this realm just yet. There is more for us now, my wife._

_Oh my husband, I yearn to join with you._

_As do I. I dream of the fullness of your flesh, the warm refuge of your mind, the ecstasy and release I find within you._

_I dream of your hardness. I want to feel you within me, your lips on my lips and your body moving within my body. I want to taste you, smell you, surround you._

_Soon, my wife, soon, we will be together forever, we will be released to the winds, our souls will soar, entwined, as one, join me, join me, now._

_Yes, take me, take me, hurry, now... Where are you going? Do not leave me, please, please, come back, my love, my love, no, no, no..._

Abruptly, Uhura found herself sitting across from Spock again. His hands were caressing her face with the touch of a lover, and he dropped them quickly to his lap. She was confused and dazed, and she could see that Spock was bewildered as well and fighting to regain his bearings.

She squirmed in her seat, and she was shocked to recognize a familiar sensation from her nether regions. Desire curled deep in her belly and a warm arousal crept from between her legs. Her thoughts were drawn outward when Spock cleared his throat and shifted in his seat in much the same manner. She sneaked a quick look and noticed an unmistakable bulge in his crotch. Well, if she could say anything about these alien entities inhabiting their minds, they were consistent.

She brought her eyes back up before he could catch her inspecting him.

He swallowed and met her eyes. They were both breathing heavily. Gradually, she became aware that McCoy stood beside her with his hands on her arm, and Kirk was firmly holding Spock's elbow.

"What... what happened?" she stammered.

"You and Spock were so deep into the meld that we became concerned," Kirk said. "You didn't respond when we called out your names, and finally we had to shake you to get you to separate."

McCoy retrieved a chair so that he could join them.

Kirk continued. "You two scared us. It happened so quickly. One moment you were both sitting here, and the next moment you had clearly gone somewhere far away."

Spock swallowed again and licked his lips, still struggling to regain his composure. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse.

"That was a most... disconcerting experience. Except for the very earliest moments, I did not control the meld. Indeed, it was as if I had ceased to exist. I can state with certainty that the consciousness in my mind is that of the elderly man on the planet. I was touching him when he died, just as the commander was touching his wife, and evidently that is when the exchange took place. His mind is strong, but also very confused and restless. He is reaching for something more."

She chimed in. "Yes, I thought that, too. They're on their way somewhere else, and they're very unhappy."

"Did you learn enough?" asked Kirk. "I don't want you to repeat the meld."

Uhura heard the sound of McCoy's scanner. "Damn right, Jim. Look at this – the alien brain patterns are stronger than ever. If they do it again, we might lose them."

"Bones, keep running tests. I want you to monitor them constantly. Spock, you and Uhura work together on reconstructing every shred of information possible, no matter how insignificant it may seem. I can tell that you're both worn out, but you can rest later."

She glanced nervously at Spock. "Uh, Captain, some of what went through my mind was rather... intimate in nature. Remember how we've ended up together the last three nights."

Spock crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair, and raised both eyebrows, looking over her head at nothing. She had to smile at the familiar expression. She looked at Kirk and noticed that he was smiling, too.

"Sorry, but those are my orders. I'm sure you'll find a way to describe it without becoming too personal."

They all rose to begin their respective tasks.

End chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

The Winds of Eternity, Chapter 5

Almost midnight ship's time, McCoy strolled tiredly into sickbay to check his two patients.

They were both on diagnostic beds, side by side, and they seemed to be sleeping quietly. He tugged on the bands that anchored their arms and legs to the beds, and he wondered if this was really necessary. Although it was true that Spock and Uhura had both told him quite emphatically that they wanted to be restrained, they were resting so peacefully now that he had to resist the urge to free them. But while he could probably wrestle Uhura back to the bed if he absolutely had to later, he knew that he was no match for Spock. So he left the restraints in place.

He fiddled with a few settings on the diagnostic beds. The alien patterns were stronger every time he looked. It was almost imperceptible, but it was there. _Damn._ He'd been over and over the report that Spock and Uhura had put together, and he hadn't been able to learn anything from it. It was interesting, to say the least, but about all it told him was that the two alien minds weren't where they were supposed to be, and that both of those old people were incredibly horny. He didn't need a report to tell him either of those facts.

He perked up when he noticed Spock stir. Spock muttered something that McCoy couldn't decipher, and he tried to sit up. McCoy's heart beat a little faster. _Here__we__go._

With a sudden ferocity, Spock snarled and pulled against the restraints that held his arms to the bed. He relaxed briefly before trying again, this time straining until the muscles and tendons stood out on his arms and his neck, and beads of sweat gathered on his face. Blood seeped out from under the tight band on his left forearm.

Trying not to panic, McCoy grabbed a hypo. He had seen Spock break these restraints before, and even though they'd been fortified since then, he wasn't too sure they'd hold. He would have to sedate Spock if he broke free.

The doctor hovered nervously. With a roar, Spock arched his back and pulled even harder on the left restraint, and McCoy nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked over at Uhura and saw that she was moving restlessly on her own bed, pulling fretfully against the restraint that held her right arm. McCoy frowned when he realized that they were each trying hardest to free the arm nearest the other. Blood flowed copiously now from Spock's left arm as the band cut into his flesh.

Coming to a quick decision, McCoy reached down and unfastened the strap on Uhura's right arm, then turned and removed the restraint from Spock's left. He jumped out of the way and watched, his hypo still at the ready.

Frantically, Spock reached for Uhura. His eyes were open, but they were glazed and unseeing. Uhura turned to him, saw him, and cried out. She caught his fingers in her own and they clung to one another with an incredible urgency.

After a few minutes, he saw them both relax, and soon they simply gazed at one another. Their hands were still tightly clasped. They looked sad, so sad, and his heart felt heavy just to witness this intimate desperation. Eventually they fell asleep again, their fingers still entwined.

He flopped down in a chair nearby, ran his hands over his face, and resolved to solve this mystery. Soon.

...

The next morning, Spock awoke to find that he had no sensation in his left arm. Raising his head and shoulders, he saw that his arm was free and unrestrained, and that he was holding hands with Uhura, whose right arm was also free. He noticed that his arm and the left side of his bed were bloodied, but he did not see any sort of wound. Evidently McCoy had already fixed whatever damage had been done.

Spock tugged, clumsily trying to extract his dead left hand. When he pulled it free, he watched as it flopped uselessly to the side of the bed. Uhura's arm fell, too, and she woke up.

She grimaced and tried to roll over before she appeared to realize where she was. She looked around until she saw him next to her.

"Good morning, Spock." Her voice was groggy. "Why do I get the feeling that there's a frustrated old woman inside of me right now?"

Spock raised an eyebrow. "I would say that her husband is no less frustrated at the moment."

She looked beyond him, and Spock turned to see McCoy scurry into the room. He paused and looked at them cautiously.

"Uh, have we met before?"

Uhura snorted. "Please, Doctor, don't torture us. I can't feel a thing below my right shoulder, and I'd say that Spock is in the same boat."

McCoy freed Uhura, then Spock. Spock had to reach over with his right arm just to pull the left close, and he began massaging his circulation back. Soon, he felt the painful little prickles that meant that the blood was flowing again.

McCoy checked the readouts over their heads. "This isn't looking any better, folks. I stayed up almost all night thinking about what you learned yesterday, but I couldn't come up with anything. I'm sorry. Spock, you've always teased me about my beads and rattles, but I swear if I thought right now that I could release the evil spirits by hopping around the sickbay singing, I'd do it."

Spock frowned for a moment. Something was there, hovering just out of reach in his mind. "Dr. McCoy, could you repeat that?"

From the corner of his eye, Spock noticed Uhura look at him sharply, but he did not turn his attention from McCoy.

McCoy said, "Uh, I said that I'd chase away the evil spirits with my beads and rattles if I could."

Spock shook his head. The answer was in McCoy's words, he was certain, but he could not pinpoint it. Slowly, he said, "No, you said that you would release the spirits. With a song." There. He had it.

Unable to suppress his excitement, he turned to Uhura. "The Song of the Releasing Winds."

Her eyes grew wide. "Yes," she whispered.

Spock addressed McCoy. "We have known the answer all along. Why could we not see it before? There is a folktale, recorded by... someone's ancestors, I do not know whose, of a people who fell from the stars and gravely injured, instructed their would-be rescuers to release their souls to the wind. I do not know why I am certain, but this is the answer to our problem."

Nodding energetically, Uhura agreed. "I know it, too. It's like it was in the back of my mind all along, but I only just remembered it."

McCoy was clearly bewildered. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

"You know, Doctor." With a question in her voice, Uhura quoted, "'Our souls shall soar, released on the winds of eternity.' Sound familiar?"

"No, I think you've both lost your minds."

Spock rose to his feet and strode toward McCoy's office. "We will find it in the database. I am quite certain you will recognize it once you see it."

...

Thirty minutes later, Spock turned away from the computer. "It is true," he stated flatly. "There is no record of this in our database, and I have verified that there is no reference to a 'Song of the Releasing Winds' in the library computers on Memory Beta."

Uhura groaned and covered her face. When she removed her hands, she saw that Spock was regarding her with an odd expression.

Kirk, who had joined them, frowned. "And you think this could be a sign that you're losing your individual identities."

Spock nodded. "That I was convinced I had remembered the tale on my own points to the fact that I can no longer be certain where the alien's thoughts end and mine begin. I would venture to say that this is also true for Commander Uhura."

Uhura placed her hand gently on Spock's arm. "You know what to do, don't you." It was not a question.

Spock nodded solemnly. "I think that I know what we should do. I am concerned that perhaps I am not in control of my own thought processes, but, yes, I do believe that I have the solution. We must attempt another meld. Our situation strikes me as very similar to that of a host who carries a katra but is unable to transfer it to the Hall of Ancient Thought. I should be able to draw on my knowledge of the Fal-tor-rel, or the 'casting-off,' to remove these entities from our minds. It is my belief that if the situation surrounding their deaths had been ideal, someone with an understanding of their needs would have been present to release them. Lacking that, their katras, or the equivalent, transferred to us. It is up to us now to release them."

She could tell that he had more to say. "But..."

He held her eyes. "But the risk is that I will not be able to extract our own thoughts from those of the aliens. If that is the case, we could become mindless shells."

She shuddered. "The alternative, though, is to lose ourselves gradually anyway. I say that we give it a try."

They all turned toward Kirk.

"Spock?" Seeing agreement, Kirk commanded, "All right. You can try. But McCoy and I are going to be right there, and we'll stop you at any sign of trouble."

They filed back into the quarantine room.

...

As before, her whole being was focused on his eyes. As before, he murmured, "My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts."

This time, however, she gasped as the alien presence pushed her own mental barriers aside and surged to meet him, and her last thought as Uhura was a flicker of concern at the sudden change in Spock's expression. He threw his head back slightly, eyes closed and lips parted. After a brief moment or an eternity, he opened his eyes again and looked at her.

_Beloved._

Her heart rejoiced. _My__dear__one.__Is__it__time?_

_Yes, it is time. I wish that we could join our physical beings once again, but we must go now._

_Oh, my husband, I would almost be willing to give up eternity if I could feel your arms around me one last time, but I know it cannot be._

_My wife, you will have to remember, always, how it felt when our bodies were joined and our limbs entwined, how our flesh soared. Now, our souls will soar together forever._

_Forever, my love. Forever._

With a rush of pain, joy, relief, sorrow, ecstasy, and a hundred other emotions, Uhura fought the almost unbearable urge to throw out her arms and sail on the wind, to follow these spirits. She cried out as she felt the alien presence fly from the very core of her being, and she thought that her heart had surely been ripped from her breast as the bright presence left her mind and her body.

Panting, she slowly became aware again of the dim silence around her.

Solid, warm fingers still rested on her face. Her cheeks were streaked with tears. She looked at Spock, her lips quivering, and she didn't know what to say. She could remember everything now, everything that had happened to them over the past four days, everything that they had done together.

He pulled his fingers away, just a fraction of an inch, and she saw from the corner of her eyes that they were trembling. He took a huge, shaky breath, and then, in a very un-Spocklike fashion, dragged the back of his hand across his eyes and cheeks, dashing away the tears that soaked his face.

She could not look away from him. She heard the whirring of McCoy's scanner, then footsteps and the quiet 'whoosh' of the diagnostic room door. They were alone.

"They're gone. The old man and woman." She was surprised to hear that her voice was steady despite the tears on her cheeks.

"Yes. They are gone."

"Do you think that they're happy?"

"Happy? I cannot say. However, I do believe that they have found what they were seeking."

Unable to resist the impulse, she took his hand in her own, leaned forward, and kissed his cheek. Her face close to his, she whispered, "I'm glad that we were able to help."

He nodded. She could see the smile in his eyes as he agreed.

...

Kirk couldn't believe that they had finally arrived. Starbase 11 had never looked so inviting. He knew that Carol was already there and waiting for him. Maybe they could go to the beach, or if Spock wanted to join them, they could start out at the museum complex and do the beach later. He grimaced slightly at the thought of postponing the beach for the museum, but Carol and Spock really liked museums, and he always enjoyed tagging along.

He strolled over to Spock's station. "Spock, you never gave me an answer about whether or not you wanted to join us on leave. How about it? Would you like to go to the museums? I know that Carol would love it."

Spock regarded him for a moment before glancing over at Uhura. "Thank you for the offer, but I must decline. Commander Uhura and I have made plans to attend the Mozart Festival. Unless, of course, you and Dr. Marcus would care to join us."

Caught on the spot, Kirk turned to see Uhura grinning at him. He thought about making a polite excuse, but he knew that both Spock and Uhura could see straight through him. He enjoyed all types of music, but he really wanted to go to the beach.

"No thanks, old friend. I think maybe I'll talk Carol into spending some time with me on the beach." He looked up as several members of the second shift bridge crew stepped from the turbolift. "Well, your replacements are here, so if you two want to go ahead, you're dismissed."

Spock nodded. "Very well. Enjoy your shore leave, Jim."

"Oh, I intend to. You, too."

"I intend to, as well."

Kirk watched from his spot near the science station as Spock rose and walked over to where Uhura stood waiting. She smiled as he approached her, and they entered the turbolift together. Kirk could hear them discussing their hope that the Vienna String Quartet would be on tonight's program, and as the turbolift doors swished to a close, he saw Uhura place a manicured hand on Spock's arm and laugh delightedly at something he had said.

He smiled. It sure was nice to have his friends back.

End story


End file.
